When It's Raining
by DodgersGirl
Summary: A rainstorm, a twist of fate, and a walk down memory lane. FutureFic...Literati
1. Prologue-->Grey Skies

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. No sir. Or ma'am. Whatever the case.  By the way, the song below is _Rainy Days by Mary J. Blige featuring Ja Rule_**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: R/J**

**A/N: This is another Literati. It's a future fic, and it's kind of a different style than normal, Hence, I need the feedback for reassurance ;-)  I hope all of you like it, and...without further ado...here it is...the Prologue and Chapter 1. I discontinued the Trory, by the way. I'm not a Trory fan. I just couldn't do it. Sorry!**

**When it's Raining**

**Prologue---_Grey Skies_**

_"..and I...kiss the clouds on a rainy day...and...smile for you when skies are grey..."_

Anyone outside would know that the sky was about to open up, bursting into droplets of liquid grey. Clouds were darkening the daytime, rolling over the bright blue with ease, storming the sky. Then, the world's assumption proved correct. Slowly, the sky began to release its watery tears, single drops and drizzle first, then bluish splotches against the grey sky backdrop. It cast a damp gloom over the mood in the city. However, while most people were outside, scrambling for cover, or inside, gazing out the window with melancholy eyes, Rory Gilmore simply sat on her front steps. The rain had an odd effect on her.

A smile lighting her still girlish, innocent features, she watched the storm with sparkling sapphire eyes. As she had many times in the past when the rain came, she rose, and began to walk along the sidewalk, uncaring. Her hair rose in tangles against the wind, her clothes becoming matted and soaked through.  Still, with the rain splattering against her cheeks like tears, and dripping from her eyelashes, blurring her vision, she continued to walk. And in tandem with someone else, coming from the opposite place, walking in the same direction, she placed one foot in front of the other. Right. Left. Right. Left.

**~~~**

Jess Mariano smiled a rare smile as he watched the raindrops cluster in puddles, and listened to the light patter of water on the windows and the car roof. The memories came rushing back. No matter who he was with or what he was doing, he always stopped and took a walk when it poured in the city. So he parked his car, got out, and began to walk along the sidewalk. He didn't know where she was now, or what she was doing. He hadn't seen her for nearly 4 years. 

His hair was drenched. Once-clean work clothes were now ruined with splashes of grey rain water and muddy streaks. He still wore baggy pants, but they were khakis now, with a white button down shirt. He had just gotten off of an interview with a publisher. He continued to stroll, his mind wandering aimlessly. Some pedestrians struggling with umbrellas watched him curiously, and some softly chuckled. However, Jess took no notice. He never was the type to notice what anyone thought. He was simply reveling in his own thoughts, unaware of anything else. 

He remembered the contours of her body, her shining ocean eyes, her wet hair gathered in clumps and hanging in disarray around her face. She had been beautiful. As the rain poured onto his face, he remembered of the rumble of thunder in the distance, the green leaves bending under the weight of water. He remembered the watery warm feeling of her mouth, the scent of spring and summer in her hair. He remembered the heat even though grey drops were pounding him, icy cold. Most of all, he remembered her last words to him. "And every time it rains..." she had trailed off. Her smile still haunted him. Especially when it rained. 

~~~ 

The two walked, now about a half a mile away from each other. Both were still reminiscing, and both knew that this feeling of nostalgia that seemed packaged with every rainstorm would never go away.  Once again in tandem with each other, they tilted their heads and looked towards the sky, watching liquid fall from semi-darkness. "And every time it rains..." they said, together. There they stood, in unison, but not together, waiting for something. Closure? Maybe. Or maybe it was just another excuse to escape from a troubled, ordinary world and return to the last time they had both gotten what they wanted. 

~~~


	2. Bottled Up Inside (Her)

**Disclaimer: See the prologue. The song is _Skater Boy by Avril Lavigne_******

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: R/J**

**When it's Raining**

**Chapter 1_---Bottled Up Inside (Her)_**

_"he wanted her...she'd never tell, but...secretly she wanted him as well..." _

Rory knew where it had all started...at least, for her. With that one simple kiss. Despite the rain, and the ever-nearing semi-darkness of twilight, Rory sat on a bench. The liquid ice seeped through her thin skirt, piercing her skin with cold, and she began to reminisce.

~~~

Seeing him standing there at the wedding, handsome as ever, his calm face seemingly waiting for a reaction, his dark eyes boring holes in her own, set something off again. She felt her mouth go dry. She swallowed and tried to ignore the warmth shooting through her, the weakness in her knees. She tried to focus on her other prominent emotion. Confusion.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you, too." He replied calmly, not directly answering the question. Rory just continued to stare at him, stunned that he was actually standing there, his eyes sparkling in the golden afternoon glory that was shining through the trees, glittering on the water.

"Is everything OK?" Rory tried, thinking of possible reasons why he was back.

Jess just stood there, ignoring the question, a trace of a smirk on his face as he bluntly looked her up and down. Another shiver ran down her spine, and her heart began to pound as he stated his approval. "You look nice."

Rory felt unable to put together a coherent thought. Lately, she had felt like this when he simply glanced at her. But she always managed a quick response. So she had to say the only thing she could think of to keep the conversation going, to buy time. 

"Thank you. What are you doing here?"

"I moved back," Jess told her. Rory just looked at him, still trying to piece together some of the many words that were flying around in her head. It didn't help that the only words she could think of were 'hot' and 'lust'. Finally, after what had seemed to her like hours, she was able to untangle a few words from the mess in her mind. 

"But...what? Why?" she blabbered, silently cursing her lack of ability to speak in full sentences.

"Just...wanted to," he said, still with an unusually peaceful look cast upon his features. He looked at her with a simple glance, that, from him, spoke volumes. Rory felt as if her knees were about to give out. She didn't know what to do. She was overwhelmed with that feeling, and suddenly, she couldn't stand the space between them. Among green leaves with gold halos, upon grasses that swayed and bent around their feet, Rory grabbed Jess's face between her hands and kissed him. She felt his hands come up to cup her face. His woodsy cologne combined with a faint cigarette smell drew her in, intoxicating her every thought with him. 

She lost herself in his mouth for those few seconds, letting her body rest against his. He was gentle, his mouth soft and oddly sweet. Her skin burned wherever he touched, leaving a trail of heat in his hands' wake. As he brought them down to her waist, she was suddenly snapped back to reality. She thought of Dean. And her mother. And she pulled away bluntly and suddenly. Fear replaced desire and overtook her senses. She reeled back away from him. "Oh My God, Oh My God."

"Rory-" Jess began, looking at her with a small sense of understanding, and with a touch of hurt. She stared. Rory couldn't deal with this now. Sookie was getting married, she had to walk down the aisle. She had to act like nothing happened. She had to kiss Dean and try not to compare. She had to ignore the desire still pounding through her veins, bubbling in her blood. She couldn't let anyone know. Not now. Not yet.  

"Don't say a word!" she ordered, her words panicky, her voice unnaturally high and shrill.

Jess looked at her with hurt that she didn't notice. "OK." Whatever she told him to do, he would do it. And then she ran like a small child, hair flying, limbs flailing in every direction. And then she remembered one last thing. 

"Welcome home!" she called back, trying to smile at him, attempting to make everything right, everything normal. Jess gave her a half smile before she turned around, and he turned away. Rory ran to find her mother. She never saw Jess again that day. She didn't see or remember his crestfallen and confused expression, or the plain desire still written in his eyes. All she saw before she took off was a single butterfly, flapping its wings gently and sporadically, landing on the branch closest to Jess. And she saw the sun shining through the cove of trees, still casting a golden halo over all things green. And the pond sparkling and rippling in the summer breeze. It was magic. The kiss was magic. But, she had told herself, magic is sometimes an illusion. The passion she felt from him could have been wished, or made up, or pretended. It took her too long after to realize, or maybe just recognize, that the passion of that kiss was no illusion.

~~~

Rory sighed as she looked back on this kiss, returned to real world by the speeding car and the huge splash that immediately followed. She ignored the ever-darkening sky, the rain in her shoes, the drizzle caressing her face. She just remembered the kiss. What a kiss. It had been perfect. But perfection only occurs for a moment in time. Then it disappears.

~~~

Following the days after the kiss, Rory had avoided Jess at all costs. She didn't want to bring the kiss up again. It was only a reminder of what she knew she was not allowed to have. So against her heart, and following her mind, she had stayed with Dean. Jess soon realized it had been a once-in-a-lifetime lapse of judgment. Despite the fact that the memory haunted his dreams, he tried to forget. Their relationship remained platonic, and they reverted to their old ways, bantering and teasing, and flirting from time to time. It never went beyond that, although both Luke and Lorelai continued to notice that both of them always wanted more from the relationship.

Rory went to Washington with Paris, and came back to find Jess hanging out with various other people, some guys and some girls. They didn't spend as much time together, except for their diner chats. Rory tried her hardest to forget the passionate kiss and ignore the fact that there was none of it when she kissed Dean. She simply moved on. And she remembered the day when she knew he had too.

It was a winter day, and snow flurries were beginning, floating down like bits of diamond lace, piling up powdery and soft. Chimney smoke was floating from every chimney top, creating a strong smell in the air that was distinctly winter. Rory had walked passed the diner, and on impulse, decided to stop in for a coffee. Her life had been hectic, with senior year, midterms, and everything with Dean, and she wanted to talk to Jess. They had come to rely on their chats with each other to get through the tougher days. She stopped short, however, when she saw Jess lean over the counter and kiss a familiar-looking girl sitting on a bar stool.

The girl was raven-haired, and wore piercing green eyes tinged with bits of turquoise on her graceful face. She was slender and tall, wearing low jeans with a fitted long sleeved tee that revealed some of her toned midriff. The girl had an intoxicating beauty that Rory told herself she could never compete with. And that's when she realized that he had moved on. She read a caring in his eyes that had once been reserved for her. This was also the first time she realized that she didn't want him to. She wanted him all for herself.  The memories of the kiss from months ago came rushing back. She tried to push the thoughts away, but she couldn't. Overwhelmed with passion and jealousy, she stormed into the diner.

White-faced, she sat at the opposite end of the counter. Jess sauntered over, unknowing. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered as soon as he reached her. Jess studied her for a minute, knowing what she was talking about.

"About Brielle? I didn't think you would care." He told her with disarming frankness. "I mean, you have your Bag Boy and all."

"No...I just...thought friends should tell each other this kind of thing," she told him, feeling hot liquid collecting behind her eyelids. She swallowed a lump in her throat. "Are you guys...uhh...serious?" she asked him, willing the sudden jealousy not to show up in her eyes.

"Just as serious as you and Bag Boy." He told her with a smirk.

Rory couldn't even come up with a response. She simply nodded as Jess poured her a mug and left her sitting there. She supposed this was fate's way of paying her back.

~~~

Breaking out of her reverie, Rory found herself on the bench again, instead of years into the past. She sighed. The rain showed no sign of letting up, and she still had time before it was completely dark. She needed all the time she could buy. After all, rain brings up quite the story to remember. She curled up on the bench, draping her long arms around herself to keep warm.  Rory felt ridiculous, mulling over memories of a man that fate obviously didn't want her to be with. Little did Rory know, fate would eventually twist and bend in her favor. 


	3. Static (Him)

**Disclaimer: You know the story. Song-_Somewhere in Between-Lifehouse_**

**Rating: PG-13   **

**Pairing: Literati**

**A/N: Thank you all for the feedback I got on the Prologue/First Chapter! I appreciate it. Y'all know I live for it. *LOL* Anyway, enjoy the next chapter. It's longer, but Jess loved Rory longer, and I wanted to put in things that may have stood out in his mind. **

**When it's Raining **

**Chapter 2--_Static (Him)_**

_"give me a...few hours...I'll have this all sorted out...if my mind would just...stop racing..."_

Jess Mariano believed the starting point to be different. In the midst of the grey-blue haze swirling around him, years later, he was still thinking about her. Every word, every glance, every smile, every touch from her. So while he continued to shiver outwardly from the cold, the warmth inside grew as he began to remember bits of years-old conversations and little things she had done to make him feel.

~~~

"What?" Rory had asked that night, confusion masking her features. Black surrounded them, flooded in some places by dim, orange glow from the street lights and store fronts. She flipped through her book quickly, then stared back at him, her blue eyes sparking in the night, a smile threatening to overtake her features. "You've read this before."

Jess stared at her, masking a smile at the expression on her face that obviously told him she was trying to read him, but couldn't. A breeze gently and faintly rustled the trees as Jess replied.

"Only about 40 times."

She gave him the look again, but this time there was a realization in her eyes that she probably, no matter how much she tried, wouldn't be able to read him. Her hair shone underneath a velvet, starry sky, and he looked back at her, making her squirm just the tiniest bit. She didn't back down, however, and pressed on. 

"I thought you said you didn't read much," she stated, still trying not to smile. It was a question.

"Well, what is much?  Goodnight Rory." Jess replied calmly, the tiniest of smirks donning his face. He knew this mystery was annoying to her, but also intriguing. He faintly, somewhere in the back of his mind, wondered if she had a boyfriend, then quickly erased the thought from his mind. Her blue eyes roved his, piercing him, locking him in her gaze, but then she turned and walked, as if she didn't want to get started. The light seemed to follow her, leaving Jess in increasing darkness.

"Goodnight, Dodger," she mumbled sarcastically as she walked, her head turning one last time. She paused for a moment, both in step and in thought, waiting for his response.

"Dodger?" he questioned unnecessarily, already knowing exactly what she meant, but waiting for her to explain. She smiled, the corners of her mouth turned upward, and bringing it all the way up to her eyes, creasing the corners and dimpling her cheeks slightly.

"Figure it out."

"Oliver Twist." Jess said, almost without thinking. One of his favorite books. She had simply nodded, turned, and walked away, leaving an invisible cloud of innocence to trail behind her. And Jess watched her for a second before he turned too. But the warmth didn't go away. 

~~~

The question that constantly came up in his mind was answered for sure later. He remembered the chalk outline outside Taylor's store he had planted that day. It had caused such a stir. It showed how ridiculously small the town really was, he thought. Rory had come up to him, asking why he had done it. The laughter in her dancing blue eyes darted in the blackness of her pupils, and Jess knew that she was amused, but she stubbornly refused to say so. He also knew she liked him. Not in the corny flowers and hearts sort of way, but like just the same. And then, _he had come, on that particular winter day. And had brought Jess's only hope crashing down with him. Not that Jess wasn't used to it._

~~~

"Funny, I never pegged you as clueless, my mistake," she scolded, just as she had been for the past 10 minutes. They were standing outside the store, on grey sidewalks in the winter. The sky was cloudy, but it seemed light out. Her cheeks had been tinged with pink from the chill, her hair slightly windblown. Jess thought she looked beautiful. Of course, he would never say so. But he was content to be scolded by her as long as it meant she was near him. Naturally, he wouldn't admit that either, not even to himself. But it was easy to see, looking back now. 

"Okay. I get it. No, no, I do, I get it. So did you at least think it was funny?" he teased her, knowing all too well that she did. She was at least intelligent enough to know that this town was ridiculously ordinary and routine, and any entertainment she could get was appreciated. But, she was too stubborn to admit it, as Jess had come to know.  
  


"That is so not the point," she cried, but there was a smile in her voice. Jess smirked at her, feeling a bit week in the knees watching her eyes light up. Then he shook away that thought. Girls like Rory definitely did not make him week in the knees. It was the cold or something.   
  


"Ah, you thought it was funny," he mocked.

Just then, a tall, handsome, clean cut type walked out of the market. Jess noticed and frowned. He could still see the suspicion in his eyes when he saw Jess standing there.  
  


"I got it." He told Rory, looking down at her affectionately. Then Jess knew. His frown deepened and his eyes narrowed as Dean acknowledged his presence. It had taken him long enough. 

"Oh, uh, hey."  
  


"Um Dean, I don't think you two have met. This is Jess. This is Dean," Rory jumped in, sounding nervous. Nothing went unnoticed by Jess. And as much as his mind warned him not to, he had to ask.     
  


"Boyfriend?"  
  


"Of course," she replied, shooting him a quick look that pleaded him not to start anything.   
  


"Sorry, you didn't say. How ya doing?" he asked bitterly.  
  


"Good, good," Dean sputtered, giving him a hard stare. Jess remained unfazed.   
  


"Okay, see you around," Rory said quickly, her eyes once again pleading with Jess. She glanced between the two guys, the laughter from her eyes long gone. She grabbed Dean's hand tighter and they left. Jess couldn't help but add the last bit of the conversation, knowing it would send Dean up the wall.  
  


"Seems to turn out that way, doesn't it?"

~~~

Jess was _still standing in the rain. His work clothes were probably soiled beyond repair, and his hair was somewhat flat. Not that he cared. He was just getting to the best part of his memories, as far as he was concerned. He sat on the curb. It was nearly time for him to be getting home, but the drizzle ran over his forehead, dripping off of his nose occasionally, lightly misting his cheeks. He watched the people of the city scramble for their cars and he couldn't understand why they didn't see rain as a beautiful thing._

~~~

Jess had known he was growing on her. He could see it in her eyes. That was where he could see everything. She was like an open book, the rest of her face saying everything her mouth couldn't. And she began to spend more and more time with him. There was that stupid town thing where he had paid $90 for her basket. He had outbid Dean for it, and not only had he succeeded in pissing Dean off, it made him look jealous, and Jess got to spend time with her. 

For hours, they sat on that bridge, looking over the rippling water and the cove of trees, the clear blue sky painted overhead. They discussed literature, and he tried to make her smile so he could feel the warmth spread from his heart all through to his fingers and toes. He remembered her question, the one that had stumped him for only a minute.

"Why are you only nice to me?" she had asked innocently, really not knowing the answer.

"Excuse me?" he choked out. This was not a question he wanted to answer. Especially not to her face. He didn't expose himself to people like that. He only got hurt in the end anyway, so what exactly was the point?

"An hour ago you were totally screwing with Dean, and now you're totally nice to me."

Jess froze for only a moment, before replying honestly. "You see, it's the screwing with Dean-that's an important step to getting here so I can be nice to you." He immediately wished he had come up with a smart-ass reply, but the upward curve of her mouth as she talked was worth it. Best $90 he ever spent.

After that day, they talked on the phone once or twice. He had come over to her house once, and she had invited him in, but Dean came over, and he was quickly shooed away. He never showed the hurt. They always talked and bantered, but she never knew or realized how she affected him. And Jess tried and tried to get her to admit how he affected her. He was pretty sure she was falling for him, at least to some extent. But he wouldn't ask her directly. He wouldn't risk it. 

Luke knew he liked her. He could relate to that, for sure, and he could see it. He had hired Rory as a tutor, which was kind of a naïve move on his part, simply because he should have known Jess wouldn't have been able to concentrate. That night, they went out for ice cream. He was driving. And an animal in the road had caused the swerve. The accident. Hurting her. He couldn't deal with that. He didn't care about anything but her. And if she didn't forgive him, that was it. So he ran. But she came after him.

She had skipped school and come to the city in all her plaid-Chiltonite glory. Jess had been sitting in the park, reading when she walked up. The leaves were heavy with a deep green, drooping from the branches. People were buzzing all around. Her hair was blowing back from her face, and there was a certain look on her face when she saw him. That's when he knew. So before she left the city, he had called her on it, knowing she would never give him a straight answer.

"Why did you come here?"

"What?" she asked, somewhat nervously. He didn't have to repeat. She knew what he had said and they both knew why. Sitting under the bus's dim lights, she was buying time so she didn't have to answer yet.

"I said, why did you come here? I mean, you ditched school and everything. It's so not you." He pointed out. She couldn't ignore that one, he knew. She seemed to consider. Something else was threatening to be said, but she responded quickly with the only thing she could think of.

"Because you didn't say goodbye."

"Goodbye, Rory." He replied simply, locking her eyes on his. He knew he would see her again. He'd come back.

"Bye, Jess." She said, closing the window behind her. He couldn't help but smirk at her as he walked away.

~~~

Jess finally decided it was time to head to his apartment. His girlfriend was probably waiting, and it was growing increasingly darker with every raindrop. He found his car about a block away. Had he only stayed there a few more minutes, he would have seen his other half. The one girl that had made him whole. But he didn't wait. He climbed in his car, starting up the engine and watching the drizzle lightly streak down the windshield before the wipers started and cleared it away. 

~~~

The kiss. It had been totally unexpected, but it had been kind of unavoidable. Eventually, one of them would slip up. It was just odd that it happened to be her rather than him. She had always had that affect on him like no one else. His knees would go weak, and his breath would hitch and catch in his throat when he saw her, or was near her. So he always assumed that he would probably kiss her first. He was the screw-up, the one with no control. But it was Rory that lost her control this time. The last part of the conversation was the most distinct to him.

"What are you doing here?" she had asked. She was obviously confused, but he was surprised she didn't expect him to come back after she had tempted him in the city like that. She was smarter than this, he had thought.

"I moved back." Stating the obvious.

"What?" Rory always asked when she needed time to think. It bought her a few seconds to clear her thoughts. The water splashed gently and the green and gold combination of light was overbearing Jess's vision. He watched her bite her lip nervously.

"I moved back."

She absently smoothed her simple greenish dress down as she stared for a moment. She was gorgeous. There was a sprig of some type of flower in her hair, and her curves were accentuated by the thin fabric. He looked her over again as she stumbled over her words.

"But-What? Why?"

Jess shrugged. He didn't have to say why. It was unspoken truth, a reason he was pretty sure both of them knew. 

"Just...wanted to." 

A different emotion masked Rory's face just then. They were frozen there, Rory looking as if she were about to faint or something, Jess simply watching. Then he saw her move towards him, and suddenly, she felt her lips on his. Sweetly and passionately, she kissed him hard on the mouth with warm mint on her tongue. Her scent fogged his mind, and slowly, he realized what was happening. He brought his hands up to cup her face. Her mouth opened to his, and heat ran through him. He needed to feel her. But just as he brought her closer, she pulled away. 

He had tried to comfort her when he saw the panicked look on her face, but it had done no good. She had run away. And after that, he was left with nothing but that single kiss. The memory. That was all he had of her. But he couldn't forget. All summer and fall, he waited for her to react, to speak to him about it. But the words never came. So it all went back to the way it used to be. Flirting and bantering. Lorelai still hated him, but Jess speculated that was because she knew and saw that her daughter was falling for him. Then again, she had stayed with Dean, so Jess didn't understand why it mattered. 

Then there was his girl. Brielle. Beautiful, not in the innocent, radiant way like Rory, but sophisticated. She was from the city. They had a lot in common. He cared for her, if nothing else. She didn't read, but she was intelligent enough, and he liked her for it. She had been abused by her father, and she was stuck in Stars Hollow for the year with her aunt. They sat on benches late at night, talking and blowing blue smoke rings that dirtied the pristine night air, or she ate in the diner, waiting for his shift to let out, stealing kisses over the countertop.   

He remembered the first time Rory had seen them together. It had been snowing that day, light flurries that kiss your face. She had come in the diner in all her winter glory, looking for a cup of coffee, and maybe, a chat. But she stopped short. He saw the hurt look on her face, the jealousy plaguing her. But he didn't mention it. He wanted to say to her that this whole crazy thing was a mistake, and that as much as liked Brielle, it seemed like a distraction, and every thought seemed related to her. But Jess wasn't the show-your-feelings kind of guy. And too many things remained unsaid for Rory and Jess to get together. At least, at that point anyway.   

~~~

Jess parked his car outside the apartment. He knew he was just getting started. A darkness feel upon the city, but that didn't stop the rain that was splashing and gathering in puddles. As he rode the elevator, he vaguely wondered if his girlfriend was home. When he reached his apartment door, he realized that she wasn't, and he immediately sat by the window to stare at the rain some more. He should have stayed on the street, though, because Rory Gilmore was just now heading for home. But it didn't really matter. Fate knew that they would meet again, through the one person they had in common. Unfortunately, it would be the loss of this person that would bring them together.

**A/N: I know the chapter is kind of messy and confusing. And the next 1 or 2 probably will be too, because I need to portray now and then all at once. Please review! I won't demand it, but it's always nice. Anyway, I'm getting to the real plot soon...like who the person is, how they meet again, will they be together, etc.**


	4. Lost (Her)

**Disclaimer: Nope. None of it. Not even a part. Song is _Sway by Bic Runga._**

**Pairing: Literati**

**Rating: PG-13**

**A/N: I'm started to put more focus into this story. It started out as something to help me get rid of my writer's block, which I'm still experiencing whenever I try to finish "Everything." But now? I like this story best ;-)  Anyway, I know this is getting redundant, but I'll continue to say it in every note. THANK YOU. The feedback means a lot to me. **

By the way, I didn't express myself clearly in the last part of the chapter. I suppose I should have said "one of the few people they had in common", rather than, "the one" because now I have everyone thinking it's Luke. You silly, silly people. How could I kill Luke off? Really, though, I'm sorry for that mix up. I should have written clearly what I meant

**_A note for readers of "Everything": Please be patient. I'm in the middle of these two new stories that are important to me as well, but that was my first fan fic, so in no way do I want to leave it unfinished. However, I've run into a roadblock. I think I need a while to work it out through other stories. It _****WILL be back, and finished eventually. This note is probably mostly for BestDeceptions, because, you're the only one who I know is reading it, lol. I need to thank you and everyone else who supported it though.  **

**When It's Raining**

**Chapter 3--_Lost (Her)_**

"_sometimes__...when you and I collide...I fall into and ocean of you...pull me out in time...don't let me drown..."_

~~~

Rory sighed. She knew that with every bit of light that was lost, she had less time to get home. But she continued to wait. One by one, the faces of the few stars that dared to poke through clouds peered out from inky black and gleamed, and the rain dissolved to a mere drizzle. She was lost, still waiting for the rain to stop. Because, then she could try and forget. For now. But the weather didn't want to cooperate with Rory Gilmore, and with every drop of water that streamed down her face, another memory exploded in her mind. For every puddle that formed, she once again wondered where Jess Mariano was at that particular moment. Had she walked just around the corner and down the street when she had thought of this in the first place, she would have known. 

~~~

The rest of her senior year was a blur, except for him. She had gone on several dates after she had seen Brielle to try and get her mind off of him, but no matter who she dated, she knew it just wasn't going to happen. 

Her days were marked by various diner chats with him. She would lean over the countertop, and he would dip slightly towards her, eyes glittering, grinning, teasing her. Often, they would discuss various literary works over coffee, and occasionally, if they were alone, despite harsh scolding from Rory, he would have a cigarette. The coffee cup's steam would waft in her face, and the remains would mix with the blue smoke emitted from his mouth.

This continued for many days filled with snow and sun, many nights overtaken by black haze and fog. Nothing changed. However, every time Jess would smile, or bite his lips, or smirk, or run his hands through his hair, she was sent back to the day, and she could almost smell summer in the air again. She felt that weakness, overpowering warmth when he dipped close to her. It seemed to grow stronger with time. But she never was the type to give in to her impulses. Aside from that day at the wedding. So nothing happened between them. This was mostly because Rory was under the mistaken impression that Jess didn't want anything anymore.

Rory made it through the year to her graduation. She had won a full scholarship to Yale, and despite her past dreams of Harvard, she found she was excited to be going there instead. She was valedictorian, as everyone in Stars Hollow had expected she would be. She was still living in a picture perfect world, and only Jess knew she couldn't wait to escape. She was tried of living under the scrutiny of the entire town. She was craving an independent life. She wanted to be second best for once.

The night before graduation, dressed in her cap and gown, she had stopped in Luke's for one last coffee. Jess came down the stairs, Brielle in tow, to see her. She managed to find him despite the flashes surrounding her from various cameras. Brielle was standing directly to his right, staring right at the two, but he embraced her in a not-so-platonic hug. Their bodies touched, emanating warmth, and filling the air with an old, familiar electricity that couldn't be ignored, but had to be, for now. 

"Good Luck. Hope the incredible senior prank I know you planned for tonight works out for you."

"Oh yeah. The podium will explode, spraying coffee all over everything."

"Just as you're saying your speech, of course," he added, fighting to keep a straight face. 

"Of course, because in order to perform at my best, I need the caffeine," she replied. She tried hard not to take the step to get closer to him. Her body ached for another touch from him. Then she scolded herself. These feelings simply got her into more trouble.  

Brielle looked on, her facial expressions clearly showing her impatience. Jess ignored her, and this wasn't the first time either. Rory could see her irritation on her eyes, the same eyes that were the color of turquoise jewelry and every ocean on the Earth. 

"So...good luck tonight," Jess said sincerely, looking at her almost affectionately, something familiar in his eyes, dark and warm. Rory once more fought the urge to grab him. Brielle tugged Jess's arm just then. Rory noticed and mumbled reluctantly.

"I guess I better go."

Jess waved as Brielle dragged him up the stairs once more. Rory sighed. Her mother was waiting for her in the car. She lifted her gown, the length of it blowing in the wind behind her. Struggling to keep her cap on her head and unmarred, she hobbled quickly towards the car. She noticed the small drizzle droplets appearing sporadically on her window. Soon, a steady rain was thumping the top of the Jeep. Rory sighed and prepared herself for her graduation.

~~~

Present-day Rory smiled at the memory of the rain, and then smiled at the light drizzle that was in the present with her. She was getting to the best part. And the worst part. The reason she was out here in the first place. The hard bench gnawed at her tailbone, and streetlight illuminating what it could. She shouldn't be out here now. But she didn't care. She had to finish this story that played inside her mind.

 Just as she was about to return to the past for the last time, a muffled ringing from inside her bag interrupted. Confused, she began to dig through the main compartment, but then she remembered her cell in the side pocket. Sighing, she snapped open the phone and greeted the caller in a tired voice.

"Hello?"

"Rory? Is that you?" asked an older, motherly sounding voice on the line. It was certainly not her mother.

"Yes...may I ask who this is?" Rory asked, confused, and sounding apologetic, as if it were her place to know exactly who the caller was.

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry! This is Mrs. Gellar! Paris's mother?" Rory wondered if she looked as shocked as she felt. Mrs. Gellar...calling her? It made no sense. She had only met her once. Vaguely, she wondered how she had gotten her cell number.

"Hi, Mrs. Gellar. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. It's been kind of a long night."

"Oh, it's fine. It's just, I was wondering if Paris was with you."

Rory shook her head, confused. She hadn't seen Paris in over two weeks. After they had graduated, Rory found out that Paris would be attending Yale as well. They had stayed friends through everything, and kept in contact. They tried to meet once a month for coffee to catch up, but she hadn't seen Paris since their last meeting, and she certainly wasn't with her now.

"Umm, no Mrs. Gellar. I haven't seen her in over two weeks. Why do you ask?" she ventured politely.

"Well, her boyfriend called.  You know, the one she just started living with?"

"Wow! She didn't mention it." "

"Yes, well, she was supposed to be home a few hours ago, and I'm trying to think of people she could be with. We are running out of ideas. I don't know where she would be at this hour. Although, I should be asking you the same question, honey! I tried your house and no one picked up. It's a good thing you always have your cell with you."

"Yes. Well....I don't know what to tell you. I'll call you if I happen to run into her, or if I hear anything."

"Thank you, dear."

"No problem, Mrs. Gellar. Bye."

Rory hung up the phone with a loud, echoing click, shaking her head. It was only 9:00. Her mother was probably overacting. Besides, it's not like she would know.  She returned to Stars Hollow in a dreary-weather daze and went back to that rainy night. But a lot of things were happening on this one, too.

~~~

Paris Gellar sighed impatiently. It was nearly 8:00, it was raining, and her car had broken down. She despised the rain. It was wet, cold, and it was ruining her good clothes. She tried to call a taxi. Her lips pursed when the one taxi that drove by not only didn't stop, but sprayed droplets of grey, murky water all over her face and clothing.

The sky was nearly dark. There was still a hint of blue mixed in with the black, but it was faint. The sky was nearly covered by grey, rolling clouds, and the stars were trying to wedge their way into a clear patch. Streetlamps and lights from apartment buildings nearly blocked the light of the twinkling white anyway. Paris looked nervously at the sky, and waiting for someone to come. In this part of the city, there were fewer cars coming by. She supposed it was her punishment for living on the outskirts. Just as she was berating herself for this, a car drove up and stopped beside her.

"Need a ride?" came the gravelly voice of the man from inside the car. He appeared to be middle aged, his eyes dark and sunk into their sockets, his hair dark, disheveled, and slightly tinged with grey.

Paris normally wouldn't have taken a ride from a random passing car, but she was desperate. She nearly smiled as she nodded.

"Yes, thanks, I do."

"Hop in."

So Paris did just that. Lifting her skirt, she slid into the passenger's side of the car, saying her address as she did so. But the man didn't respond or listen, and he pressed the accelerator and drove off. Had Paris not been so tired, she would have noticed he was going in the opposite direction. Her eyes closed slightly, and as she willed herself not to fall asleep, her lids became heavier and heavier.

~~~

Rory ignored the strange feeling in her stomach and returned to her memories. Finally, the rain was letting up. So she walked slowly back to her house, dazed by the past, thinking about him. 

~~~

"And so, in conclusion..." Rory's voice boomed over the sound system. She had been strangely unaware of each word that came out of her mouth through her entire speech. Sighing with satisfaction, she finished her sentence and stepped out from behind the podium. Careful not to trip on her gown, she returned to her chair. She couldn't wait for this ceremony to be over. She was leaving tomorrow for New York City. She had decided to rent an apartment for a little while in the summer, and her mother would be up shortly. But she needed an escape from it all.

She was conscious of the Headmaster speaking, and nearly subconsciously, Rory picked up her tassel in tandem with her other graduates and placed it back down, smiling faintly. A cheer ran through the auditorium, and a heavy weight lifted off Rory's heart. Now if only Jess would...

~~~

The night was cold and rainy, and Rory wanted to see Jess, so she returned to the diner as soon as she reached her hometown again. She was leaving Stars Hollow the next day. She needed to see him. That graduation night, all her memories came flying back, and old feelings had been resurfacing. But when she reached the diner, she saw only Luke moving in the shadows of the greenish eerie light inside, and when she asked Luke where Jess was, he simply shrugged. Frustrated, Rory stalked back home. It was lucky she decided to pass the bridge on the way home. 

By the time she reached him, her cap was off and in her hand, and her hair was in wild, tangled, disarray, matted and separated from the heavy rain. Her white gown adhered to her body as she rushed over to him. He looked up, his eyes heavy upon her. His feet dangled low over the water, which was reflecting fuzzy stars on it's surface. He rose to his feet, his voice breaking the quiet of the night.

"So. Prank go as planned?"

"Oh yeah. I take full credit."

"You always were one for the spotlight."

"Jess?"

Jess simply nodded. Rory swallowed her heart as felt it slide back down her throat and into her stomach. 

"Why are you with her?" she asked softly, almost inaudible, but yet, the words so loud and clear.

"Why were you with him?" he retorted, just as softly. There was vulnerability buried in his pupils and tugging on his mouth that she had never seen. It shocked her. She knew. 

"I'm leaving tomorrow you know."

"Really? Huh." Jess mumbled sarcastically, and she knew he knew.

"I wanted to give you something to think about." The rain was surrounding them, pouring in sheets. It was a warm night, the first signs of summer on the breeze. Her eyes wandered the length of his rain-soaked clothing. She saw his lean, strong figure defined through his thin cotton shirt, his chiseled features standing out in the night. The moonlight lit the raindrops so they glistened before they hit the water.  And with that, she grabbed him again, just as she had about a year ago. 

Their wet bodies melded together, his hard-muscled chest melding to her soft, small torso. Their kisses tasted like rain, water streaming down both of their faces. He opened his mouth, and she responded. His hands stroked her sides and rested on her hips, and she felt as if she could fall without him there to support her. Her mouth burned, and he tenderly caressed his mouth with hers. She kissed back earnestly, their tongues darting past, and then stopping and stroking. Finally, she pulled away.

"Something to think about," she whispered. "And every time it rains..."

She didn't need to finish the sentence. They both knew that it was something they would remember, and memory that would always intensify when the weather took this particular turn. But this was their goodbye. For now. It was supposed to haunt them. Perfectly natural. Wasn't it?

~~~

Thanks for reading. Love you all! :)  Next chapter: coming soon.


	5. She's Gone Away Him

**Disclaimer: I don't own it, but the song is _I Cry by Westlife_**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: Literati, and I suppose, undertones of P/J**

**A/N: The next chapter is here, finally. Thank you to those of you who support this story. I realized that I say that in every one of my stories, but I don't care. I just want you all to know that I really appreciate the feedback and all. Anyway, the chapters are gonna be coming a little slower now, because I've started school.**

**When It's Raining**

**Chapter 4--_She's Gone Away (Him)_**

_".if you could see me now...you would know just how...how hard I try...not to wonder why..."_

Jess couldn't sleep. He had tried everything. Counting sheep, warm milk. But it seemed like he was haunted by Rory Gilmore. And he knew it was because of the weather. In the warm, buttery glow of the lamplight in the living room, he waited for drowsiness to come. But it didn't. So he continued the Rory life-story that was playing in his mind, his legs draped casually over the couch, his lean frame sprawled.

The rain had stopped to a drizzle, glinting softly under the streetlamps outside, barely visible in the nighttime sky. But he was so lost in thought, he failed to notice the time, or put together the fact that his girlfriend should have been home by now. Jess was always like that when it rained.  

~~~ 

Her gown was trailing behind her, billowing out, sheer and white, and her face held a self-confidence that he didn't remember seeing there before. Her cap was placed firmly on her head, and her tassel was lightly dusting her face each time she moved. As she walked into the diner, he dragged Brielle down the stairs. Jess had to see Rory before graduation. They had become so close, that he regretted not actually going to the ceremony. But he was sure she had some guy of her own to go and see her at graduation. He thought this with a bitter scowl. Brielle didn't notice, but rather, noticed the fact that he was once again leaving her to see Rory. Her full lips fell into a pout, her hand clutching his arm tightly.

"Try not to take too long, OK?" she stated, but she spoke it as a question. Brielle raised her perfectly-shaped eyebrows suggestively, and he couldn't help but smile just a little, despite his annoyance at the way she always badgered him.

"We'll be back up in a second."

And with that, he dragged her to meet Rory. As soon as he saw her, he forgot Brielle was standing there. There was something about her eyes on this particular night, a fire that had never been there before. The blue sparkled and flickered as she stood there, determined and nervous all at once. Her gown fluttered at her ankles as she stopped short before him. Her hair was shining under the flashing cameras, and he felt something only Rory could bring out in him. 

Jess stared for a minute, and suddenly, he embraced her in a hug. He knew he shouldn't have, because it wasn't the friendly type of hug. She could feel her body tight against his, her arms around his back, pulling him in. He ended it quickly, though, because he knew she weakened his self-control, and Brielle was standing there next to him. He tried to find a sarcastic remark to open a conversation, but even as he did so, he couldn't resist looking her over again. Brielle didn't notice. A quick glance at her, and he saw she was impatient. He didn't care.

"Good Luck," he said sincerely, and then added, "Hope the incredible senior prank I know you planned for tonight works out for you."

Rory smiled at this, and shot back. "Oh yeah. The podium'll explode, spraying coffee over everything." 

Jess tried not to smile. _'Spoken like a true Gilmore,' he thought. "Just as you're saying your speech of course."_

"Of course." She affirmed, "Because, in order to perform at my best, I need the caffeine." She grinned and took a sip of the cup of coffee sitting on the counter to prove her point. He looked into her eyes and she seemed to step forward, but as soon as he thought that she had, he realized it was probably just imagination. Or wishful thinking. He resisted the urge to reach out for her, snake his arms around her, and kiss her hard on the lips. He sighed, wondering why all these feelings were coming back so strong.

"So..." he began, uncomfortable, and then he repeated something he had already said, but sincerely. "Good luck tonight." He felt Brielle tugging on the sleeve of his shirt, but he took no notice for a few more seconds. He stared at her for a minute, then forced himself to turn away, Rory mumbling goodbyes as he did so. He looked at her one last time as he started up the stairs, and he knew she'd be back. With one last wave, Rory Gilmore left the diner into the fading sky, the sheer gown trailing behind her, wafting in the stormy breeze.

~~~

Hours later, it was raining heavily, the type of summer rain that's light and has a scent that's only attributed to itself. The type that pounds the windowpanes and rooftops, yet caresses your face when you step outside. The night was dull with water. Jess sent Brielle home. He went to the bridge to think, despite the weather. He watched the rain hit the water gently, causing ripples in outward spirals. Running his hand casually through his rain-soaked hair, he tried hard not to think about Rory. A picture of her blue eyes appeared fleetingly in the liquid below him. Suddenly, he heard footsteps, and he knew it was her. He held back a grin when he saw her figure coming clearer in the haze, cap in hand, hair clumped and messy with water.

"Prank go as planned?" he asked, a smile in his voice.

A slow smile spread across her face, lighting her features in the darkness. "Oh yeah. I take full credit."

"Yeah, you always were one for the spotlight," he quipped.

She rolled her eyes, but then she was silent for a moment. Her gown was clinging to her curves in a way that drew Jess's eyes to her. The white was sheer with rain, and he could see her clingy black floral dress underneath. He had the strongest urge to reach for her hand. Then her voice pierced the silence, quiet and sharp, interrupting his visual inventory.

"Jess?" she asked shakily. He simply nodded in acknowledgment, waiting for her to continue.

"Why are you with her?" 

Jess was taken aback. He didn't know how to answer that question, possibly because he didn't know the answer either. Brielle was gorgeous, and they had a lot in common, and she was a good kisser, but he knew better to say that he was with her because he liked her. Because, as bad as it was to say, he didn't like her like that. But he couldn't say this to Rory, so instead he retorted in the only way he knew how.

"Why were you with him?" he asked quietly, mimicking her tone. There was much more emotion in the statement than he intended to show, and he mentally cursed himself. 

"I'm leaving tomorrow, you know," she stated, as if he didn't. He had been thinking about how to say goodbye. He knew she would be gone for the whole summer, and possibly until Christmas, and he always had to convince himself that it wasn't a good idea to follow her wherever it was that she was going. He wasn't the stalker type, he always thought.  He would miss her, and he knew it. He also knew he would constantly wonder about what could have been. He hated the feeling.

She paused, letting the rain kiss her face for a few minutes. Then she looked back at him. He saw that familiar fire in her blue eyes, a fire he had seen only twice before. 

"I wanted to give you something to think about," she whispered huskily. Jess took a breath, reminding himself that it was just Rory. But her curves and her blue eyes drew him in. And just as he was thinking so, his mouth dry, she leaned in. He snaked his arms around her waist, and she pulled him closer. He felt her breath hot on his face. And then she bridged the gap.

Her body rested against his, her torso soft, her lips warm and wet, tasting almost tangy. He breathed in the scent of her hair, a mix of tropical something and the rain. The heat coming off of her skin in the cold radiated against him, and he opened his mouth to her, hoping she would respond. She did. Her tongue slid against his, smooth and slick. It was all too much to take. Vaguely, he registered the fact that it was thundering in the distance. Then he wondered when she had grown so impulsive. Then, just as soon as it started, it stopped.

"Something to think about." She repeated in that same husky tone, and he felt weak between his legs, behind his knees, in a different way. "And every time it rains..." she began with a smile that was almost shy. Her innocence never left her. And then she walked away. No goodbye. He watched her hips roll gently as she walked into the night, and he knew...or thought...that it was over. 

~~~

Jess thoughts of Rory were interrupted by the ringing of the telephone, just as Rory's thoughts of him had been interrupted by her cell. He sighed, snapping out of his reverie. He snapped up the phone. Telemarketer. His girlfriend hated them. And then he fell back to reality with a sharp thud. His girlfriend. The one who hadn't come home that night from her job. All of a sudden, Jess was panicked. He dialed his girlfriend's mother quickly. It rang once and her voice came over the line.

"Hello?"

"Hi Mrs. Gellar, it's Jess."

"Oh, hello. How are you?"

"Fine thanks. I just wondered if you had received any calls from Paris tonight?"

"No, I haven't. Why?"

"It's just, well, she's usually home from work by now, and she hasn't called or anything, and I don't know where she is. She's usually home before I am, and I've been home for over 3 hours now." Jess's voice rose a little in panic. He shouldn't be thinking of Rory now. His girlfriend wasn't home. Where could she possibly be?, he wondered. Then Mrs. Gellar's response echoed distantly in his mind. Her voice cracked slightly.

"Alright. Well, I suppose I'll start making some calls."

"Keep me posted."

"I will Jess, don't worry."

"Thanks."

And Jess hung up the phone with a loud click, one that echoed for minutes after in his empty room. The rain outside came to a complete stop, leaving only the dullness of the night and the reality that was now setting in.

~~~

A/N: And that's that. I'm so sorry that I haven't posted in a while. I've been too damn busy. I'll try and post every weekend if possible, or during the week *MAYBE* if I have time. But rather than boring you with my list of activities, let me just tell you that I'm too busy to post very regularly...sorry :( And with that, on to pressing the button ;)


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